Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Cheech Marin to Speak in Santa Monica

The Eli and Edythe Broad Stage in Santa Monica and DIESEL, A Bookstore present Richard "Cheech" Marin live, and on stage, on March 30 at 7:30pm. Marin will be discussing and signing his new memoir, Cheech Is Not My Real Name: ...But Don't Call Me Chong, with Carolina A. Miranda, staff writer who covers culture for the Los Angeles Times. The memoir will be released on March 14. Each ticket purchase also includes a copy of Marin’s memoir.

Cheech Marin came of age at an interesting time in America. He became a self-made counterculture legend with his other half, Tommy Chong. His insightful memoir delves into how Cheech dodged the draft, formed one of the most successful comedy duos of all time, became the face of the recreational drug movement with the film Up in Smoke, forged a successful solo career with roles in The Lion King and Jane the Virgin, and became the owner of the most renowned collection of Chicano art in the world.
Jane Deknatel, Director, Performing Arts Center, said, "We are pleased to be presenting Cheech Marin, a preeminent force in American culture, as part of a new partnership with DIESEL, A Bookstore. This partnership is an avenue to find the intersection of the performing arts with a parallel world of ideas and culture. Our new partnership with DIESEL can allow our audience a way to think about our present and our future, to share the ideas that we learn from books and periodicals with a larger community, and explore the collision of artistic mediums as exemplified by our guest speaker.”

John Evans, owner of DIESEL, A Bookstore, said, "We are always looking for ways to expand our ability for the public to interact with authors, and to bring them and their ideas and thoughts to a larger community. At 530 seats, The Broad Stage gives us considerably more access to this audience than in our store, and gives even a larger public a live experience with the world of Cheech Marin. We live in a time in which the tactile experience – a physical book, a vinyl record, an in person appearance – are increasing in their importance from people who want something more than having the experience of the world from a small low-fi hand held device. I welcome the opportunity to become part of The Broad Stage community and for them to become part of ours.”
Primarily known as an actor, a director, and a performer, Cheech Marin has developed what is arguably the finest private collection of Chicano art. Much of it formed the core of his traveling exhibition Chicano Visions: American Painters on the Verge, which broke attendance records during its groundbreaking 15‐city tour during 2001‐2007 to major art museums across the United States. He states, "Chicano art is American art. My goal is to bring the term ‘Chicano’ to the forefront of the art world.” This focus is what led to his touring exhibitions, The Chicano Collection/La Colección Chicana: Fine Art Prints by Modern Multiples and Papel Chicano: Works on Paper from the Collection of Cheech Marin. He has also produced exhibitions for LACMA (Angelenos/Chicano Painters of L.A.) and the Art Museum of South Texas in Corpus Christi (Menudo: Chicano Art from the Cheech Marin Collection). His exhibition, Chicanitas: Small Paintings from the Cheech Marin Collection, began its national tour in 2011 and is booked at venues in the U.S. and Europe through 2015

Tickets are on sale at online at www.thebroadstage.com and by calling 310-434-3200. Each ticket purchase also includes a copy of Cheech Marin’s Cheech Is Not My Real Name: ...But Don't Call Me Chong.
About Cheech Marin
A third‐generation Mexican American, Cheech has received numerous awards for his work on behalf of Latinos, including the 2000 Creative Achievement Award from the Imagen Foundation and the 1999 ALMA Community Service Award from the National Council of La Raza and Kraft Foods. In 2007, he received an honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts for his contributions to the creative arts from Otis College of Art & Design in Los Angeles, and received the inaugural Legacy Award for Arts Advocacy from the Smithsonian Latino Center. He serves on the boards of the Smithsonian Latino Center and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund.

As an actor, Cheech is familiar to many as one‐half of the hilarious duo Cheech and Chong; together, they made eight feature films. He has since appeared in more than 20 films, including The Perfect Game, Spy Kids, Tin Cup, and Once Upon A Time In Mexico. Television credits include co‐starring with Don Johnson in the CBS drama Nash Bridges, a recurring role on the hit series Lost, and a guest appearance on Grey’s Anatomy. His latest films include The Perfect Game (Lions Gate Entertainment); Beverly Hills Chihuahuaand Race to Witch Mountain (Walt Disney Pictures); and The Miracle of Dommatina (Hallmark Channel). In addition, in 2005, Cheech directed the Broadway production of Latinologues, a collection of comedic and poignant monologues revealing the Latino experience in America.
Cheech is also an author. His children’s books include Cheech and the Spooky Ghost Bus (2009); Captain Cheech (2008), and Cheech the School Bus Driver (2007). His art books include Chicanitas: Small Paintings from the Cheech Marin Collection {size doesn’t matter} (2013), Papel Chicano: Works on Paper from the Cheech Marin Collection (2007), and Chicano Visions: American Painters on the Verge (2001).

About Carolina A. Miranda (Moderator)
Carolina A. Miranda is a staff writer for the Los Angeles Times, where she covers art, architecture, design and music for the Culture High & Low blog. Prior to this, she served as staff reporter at TIME magazine, as well as an independent journalist, contributing stories to ARTnews, Fast Company, Architect, Art in America, National Public Radio, New York Public Radio and L.A. public radio affiliate KCRW.

About DIESEL, A Bookstore
DIESEL, A Bookstore: Known for our fascinating selection, stunning events, enthusiastic staff, and urban California aesthetic, DIESEL is the cutting-edge, high octane, community-radiating, independent neighborhood bookstore we all dream of hanging out in, getting imaginally turned on in, and literarily inspired by. DIESEL, A Bookstore is located at 225 26th Street, Santa Monica 90402. - See more at: http://centurycityview.org/a-conversation-with-cheech-marin-p692-176.htm#sthash.F6UXNUIj.dpuf